People looking to get around the Snyderville Basin have access to a free rideshare program.
Within a week of launching their free rideshare program, Summit County's microtransit saw more than 600 new rider accounts, with nearly 200 rides completed.
That’s according to numbers shared during a conversation with the county council Monday. General Manager of High Valley Transit Caroline Rodriguez said a surprising amount of calls came from one specific demographic.
"Anecdotally, it might be interesting for everyone to know that our number one question on the phone lines over this weekend was 'Do you go to Woodward? And can I fit my skateboard with me?' And the staff reports that the teenagers that have been calling in to ask are extremely polite and gracious," Rodriguez said.
Microtransit does go to Woodward, and it can accommodate skateboards and bikes - vans will even be equipped with ski racks in the winter.
The service is targeting people in the western parts of the county and the Snyderville Basin including Silver Creek, Jeremy Ranch and Pinebrook. While the service isn’t offered in Park City Proper, it will work with bus routes to get riders into the city.
To request a ride, users will have to download an app, enter their starting point and their final destination. County Council Member Roger Armstrong said sometimes the app will direct riders to a bus line and other times microtransit can take people directly to their end goal.
"Part of the magic of what we hope will make the micro transit more efficient is that there's an algorithm that will be used to calculate the most efficient way to get you to your ultimate destination," Armstrong said. "And that may vary if there's a bus about to pull into the transit center, and the microtransit can get you there in time to catch that bus so that it's a seamless ride in that may be the faster way to do it."
John Schulz lives in the Sun Peak area. He was one of the first people to take Microtransit last week.
"The driver said we were rider number two on the way to the restaurant," Schulz said. "And we were rider number three on the way home after the restaurant."
He said despite being an early adopter, the whole process was relatively seamless. Within minutes of requesting the ride to dinner in Kimball Junction, he was in the microtransit minivan. And the same held true on the way back, he was even dropped off at his doorstep.
Schulz said after their experience, he and his wife are big fans.
"So we'll definitely use it again," he said. "Especially, you know, we don't like driving home in the dark or don't want to drive home after having a glass of wine … this takes care of all that."
Microtransit runs from 5 a.m.-1 a.m. daily. Wait times for a ride are 5-15 minutes depending on demand.
